Jim Harbaugh fumes at no call on fourth-down pass

San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh protests a non-call by the officials after a fourth down play during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl XLVII football game against the Baltimore Ravens, Sunday, Feb. 3, 2013, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gene Puskar)

NEW ORLEANS — As much as the 49ers tried to accept responsibility Sunday for letting Super Bowl XLVII slip away at the Superdome, there was the nagging issue of a non-call that sealed their doom.

On fourth-and-goal from the 5-yard line with 1:50 to play and trailing 34-29, quarterback Colin Kaepernick attempted to hit Michael Crabtree in the corner of the end zone while under pressure.

Crabtree was clearly engaged to some degree with cornerback Jimmy Smith, but no penalty was called. The 49ers’ bid for the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history was over, with the Ravens holding on for a 34-31 win after taking an intentional safety.

“When somebody grabs you, you always expect a call, but you can’t whineto the refs,” Crabtree said. “It is what it is.”

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The play was similar to a fourth-down pass thrown by Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan to Roddy White in the NFC Championship game. On that play, 49ers linebacker NaVorro Bowman broke on the ball and might have hit White before the ball arrived. The pass was incomplete, no penalty was called, and the 49ers took possession with 1:09 remaining.

San Francisco coach Jim Harbaugh, who opened by saying he wanted to “handle this with class and grace,” couldn’t help but make his feelings known in a matter-of-fact fashion.

Indeed, Harbaugh had issues with more than just the final play. On a second-down throw to Crabtree — again with Smith as the defender — Harbaugh thought hisplayer had been fouled.

“There’s no question in my mind that there was a pass interference, and then a hold on Crabtree on the last one,” Harbaugh said.

Later, Harbaugh stopped in the middle of a question about something else to reiterate: “I realize I’m on the side of the 49ers. I’m the coach of the 49ers. There is some bias there, but I wouldn’t be bringing it up unless it was obvious. But that’s not the way they saw it. That’s the only reason I bring it up.”

Kaepernick said he changed the play at the line of scrimmage, seeing Crabtree with single coverage.

“That wasn’t the original option. I audibled at the line based on the look they gave us,” Kaepernick said.

Crabtree, who caught five passes for 109 yards and got the 49ers’ first touchdown on a 31-yard pass from Kaepernick, wore the disappointed look of a player who saw the biggest moment of his life slip away.

“I mean, there was a couple of plays where the guy was on me before the ball got to me,” Crabtree said. “I don’t even want to talk about it.It’s frustrating, man. It’s the game-winning touchdown. Makes me sad. It’s the Super Bowl. It’s what you live for.”

Former NFL vice president of officiating Mike Pereira said in a tweet: “Tough play that is really close both ways. Good job not calling anything.”

Former Giants defensive end Michael Strahan, on the other hand, tweeted, “That replay shows one hell of a hold.”

Center Jonathan Goodwin was one of several players who hadn’t seen a replay but said, “I’ve got enough questions about it that lets me know something was up. Unfortunately, you can’t get it back. It’s just tough to lose a game like that on a questionable call at the end.”

Tight end Delanie Walker was running a pass route on the play and said: “I saw they were trying to stop him from getting to the back of the end zone. But who knows? The ball probably wasn’t catchable. I don’t know.”